Letter from the Board Chair

Dear Residents of Hanover Township:

My name is Mary Alice Benoit and it has been my honor and pleasure to serve on the Hanover Township Mental Health Board for the past six years.  Currently, I am serving the board as chairperson along with my fellow board members, Ruth Beckner, Sandra Deenihan, Katy Dolan-Baumer, Brian Gorcowski, Gabrielle Infusino and Rita Lipienski.   Together, with the assistance of our Executive Director, Danise Habun, and our Community Resource Specialist, Veronica Laude Nolan, the members of the HTMHB are dedicated to strengthening the availability of services related to  mental health, addiction and developmental disabilities to the residents of Hanover Township.  Now celebrating its 30th anniversary, the HTMHB issues service grants to over 30 local providers of such services and offers several of those agencies affordable office space at our HTMHB Community Resource Center located in Streamwood.  While the HT MHB offers no direct services, each year thousands of Township residents get the vital help they need to lead fuller and more productive lives through HTMHB supported agencies.  Many of those agencies are located right here in Hanover Township.  If you or a loved one needs information about any issue regarding mental health, addiction or developmental disability, information about local agencies that may be able to help can be obtained by contacting one of our staff members at (630) 837-0301.    Sometimes the road to a better life really can begin with a single phone call. 

Respectfully yours,

Mary Alice Benoit-Chair

When you made the decision to live in Hanover Township, you probably looked at all sorts of pro s and con s. One thing probably not considered in the decision-making process was the presence of a Mental Health Board in the Township.
Every time you pay your real estate taxes, you get an itemized list of each of the taxing bodies that make up the total bill. Some people read this list religiously; others just look at the total. Few, however, fully understand the references to the Mental Health Board what it is, what it does, and why you re lucky to have one in Hanover Township.
The Illinois Constitution allows for the creation of 708 Boards, based on the passage of a referendum by voters in the area to be served. (The term 708 refers to the section of the Constitution that describes these boards their duties, composition, and responsibilities.) Hanover Township was one of only a few Cook County townships to do so and the Hanover Township Mental Health Board has been in existence since 1977.
The Board is composed of volunteers ordinary citizens who ve chosen to become part of the process of providing services to people with developmental disabilities like Down Syndrome, mental illness or substance abuse. The Board generally meets on the third Tuesday of the month helping our elected officials find ways to provide Township residents with services they need but may not have access to on their own. Board members come from all parts of the Township and we all have different family and job situations, and the one thing that ties us together is a commitment to using the tax dollars you provide to benefit the greatest number of people.
The Board manages the Hanover Township Community Resource Center, located in the industrial park west of Barrington Road It funds a number of agencies that provide direct services to Township residents whether those services involve counseling, job training, transportation, or treatment. In other sections of this website, you ll find information about several current projects. The Board sponsors or co-sponsors a number of public information programs designed to let more people know about the services that are available.
Interestingly enough, the Board does all of this in relative anonymity. Most residents don't know it exists. Even fewer know the names of the volunteers who serve without compensation on the Board. Still fewer have ever attended a Mental Health Board meeting. While the Board prefers that more people become involved in what it does, that might not be possible, and that s okay. The Board just wants you to know that it is working so that if you, or a member of your family, should ever find yourself in need of services, you ll know that you have a group of neighbors committed to making sure that those services are available conveniently, right here in Hanover Township.
Watch the Township website for notices of meetings or the programs the Hanover Township Mental Health Board is sponsoring or supporting. Call for any information you might need 630.837.0301 or send an e-mail to mhb@htonline.info.

The mission of the Hanover Township Mental Health Board is to advocate for increasing the availability and quality of mental health services through the development of a comprehensive and coordinated system of effective and efficient program delivery, accessible to all residents of Hanover Township.

The Hanover Township Mental Health Board ensures that services in the area of mental health, including developmental disabilities, addictions and substance abuse, are available

DEVELOPMENT: The Mental Health Board ensures that the quality of organizational and program development reflects the needs of all stakeholders and is aligned with the Mental Health Board mission and vision.

DELIVERY: The Mental Health Board ensures that all mental health services are effectively and efficiently delivered and are accessible to all stakeholders.

AWARENESS: The Mental Health Board ensures that awareness of mental health issues and resources are communicated effectively to all stakeholders.

IMPACT:The Mental Health Board has a proven record of judicious distribution of funds.

ADVOCACY: The Mental Health Board acts as a strategic advocate at the local, state and federal levels for all mental health issues.

STAKEHOLDER RELATIONSHIPS: The Mental Health Board has strong relationships with all stakeholders.

COMMUNICATION: The Mental Health Board ensures that there is an effective and efficient communication strategy and process that informs, inspires and engages all stakeholders.

ALLOCATION STRATEGY: The Mental Health Board demonstrates an openness of mind and flexibility for future service needs, as they relate to mental health issues. The kinds of programs funded continuously reflect the needs of the community, as they relate to mental health.

VALUED RESOURCE: Residents of Hanover Township, and other stakeholders, view the Hanover Township Mental Health Board as a valued resource for the community.